


Crash the Gates

by YonduDixon



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-11
Updated: 2015-03-11
Packaged: 2018-03-17 08:48:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3523013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YonduDixon/pseuds/YonduDixon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>BANG<br/>Aaron narrowed his eyes at the gate and shrugged at Rick again. “This has been happening since dawn. It’s slowed down a bit now.”<br/>BANG</p>
            </blockquote>





	Crash the Gates

**Author's Note:**

> A little gift to all of my Bethyl/Team Delusional Duckies.  
> (Momma duck loves you! <3 )

_BANG_

Aaron narrowed his eyes at the gate and shrugged at Rick again. “This has been happening since dawn. It’s slowed down a bit now.”

_BANG_

“S’probably just a walker ramming his face against the gate again.” Daryl sat with his back against the wall, stringing the guts from a possum onto the ground, blood smeared across his shirt. Aaron sighed heavily. He and Eric had finally convinced him to change his clothes and he’d ruined them already. He constantly reminded Aaron of a puppy. He’d take a bath, just to go play in the mud.

_BANG_

Finding a foothold, Nicholas slowly made his way up the wall to peer over it. If he slipped, it would be the fourth time this week. There was no way Aaron would let him forget it this time; he could feel the man’s eyes on him, watching for any little slip. He’d barely reached the top when there was another loud bang on the metal. He’d just gotten a glimpse over the side before skidding down the wall, only stopping when he was flat on his back. Aaron’s laughter came to an abrupt stop when Nicholas jumped to his feet and scrambled to get the gate open.

“It’s people. God dammit, help me get this gate open! It’s people!” There was audible movement, shuffling outside the gate as they fought to get it open. Aaron cursed their locking mechanism’s effectiveness, praying they’d be able to get to the strangers outside before something else did.

The gate gave way, leaving Aaron face to face with the single most pissed-off looking person he’d seen since this he’d met Daryl months before. Before he could get a single word out, a slight blonde girl was shoved into his arms, nearly knocking them both over.

“This one never shuts her trap. You take it before I shoot it. Shit! That won’t even shut her up!” Aaron felt himself being jerked back before his mind registered that his body was moving. Rick had his arms wrapped tightly around the girl, his hand stroking her hair.

Aaron looked to Daryl. If Rick recognized her, Daryl might have too. The look on Daryl’s face, coupled with silent tears streaming down his face, told Aaron everything he needed to know. It had taken weeks for Daryl to finally break and tell them about the little blonde girl that died and took his heart with her.

“Rick?” Aaron tugged his shoulder lightly. When Rick faced him, he nodded in Daryl’s direction. “Give ‘em a minute.”

Rick had barely let go of her before she threw herself at Daryl, who couldn’t manage to move other than to unceremoniously fall to his knees, taking her with him. He let his head fall to her shoulder and Aaron would have been sure he’d passed out from excitement and relief if he hadn’t seen the sobs wracking his body.

Aaron watched as the other members of Rick’s group flocked to them, taking their time hugging her. Beth; he’d finally caught her name when it tore from Maggie in a strangled sob. He’d never seen any of them looking as happy as they did now. Daryl stayed close, constantly pulling Beth back to him between every other touch and hug she got, clapping his hand to Eugene’s head when he saw him paying too much attention to her busted top shirt button. If it hadn’t been for Abe and Rick, Aaron was sure Eugene would have gotten the beating of his life.

The man scoffed at the reunion and turned to leave, instead finding himself face to face with Maggie. She wrapped her arms around him briefly, ignoring that he didn’t return the gesture. “Thank you for bringing her back, Merle.”

“Had t’get her outta my hair. God damn woman. You got snot on my shirt. Just cleaned this damn thing!” He chuckled, almost genuinely frustrated, wiping his filthy shirt halfheartedly. He glanced up, catching Michonne’s eyes. He took a step towards her, giving her a questioning look, mouth barely forming the first letters of Andrea’s name before she shook her head, fighting back tears and failing. She’d forgotten that he was gone before anyone knew what had happened in Woodbury’s underground between Andrea and Milton.

Merle took a few staggering steps away from her, straightening into his usual overconfident stance, turned on his heels and walked down an alley as if the devil himself were after him.

Daryl had barely caught sight of his brother and yelled after him to stop before Michonne shushed him. Aaron watched, confused at the exchange and hoping no one would ask him to go after the eldest Dixon. Lucky for him, Tara took off after him instead after Michonne told him to stay put. With the gate closed, he couldn’t go far and she promised him they’d hear if Merle got too annoyed with Tara. He hadn’t heard the best of things about Merle from Daryl since they’d met.

\----

Tara wandered around for nearly an hour before finally stumbling across Merle behind an empty house. He was sitting on the ground, glass from a broken window littered the grass around him and dotting his bloodied hand.

“Jesus fuck dude! _What the hell did you do_?!” She stared at him, arms crossed. “Okay, don’t answer. Can I see that?” She gestured toward his hand, “Or are you gonna bite me or something?”

He chuckled at her, “Nah, you’d like that too much dollface.” She gripped his wrist harder when he tried to pull his hand away. She told herself to leave his pride intact just this once, ignoring the obvious redness in his eyes.

“Just shut up. Merle, right? You’re not even my type pal.”

She jumped when he burst out in unsolicited laughing. “Whoa there buddy. Chill out. You need to go sleep or something.”

“Shoulda figured ya’d be a rugmuncher. ‘Knew one once.” She couldn’t help but watch him swallow hard, face tensing ever so slightly.

Michonne had told her about Andrea once when they’d been drinking not long after they got to Alexandria. She’d never mentioned Merle by name when she talked about Andrea, but Tara figured he must be the loser Andrea had it bad for. At least, that’s how Michonne described it.

“I’m sorry.” She finished wrapping a strip of torn fabric around his knuckles, sure the glass was gone.

He stood, refusing to accept any help from her. “Not as sorry as I am, dollface. C’mon. Derle’s prob’ly waitin.”


End file.
